i began having pretty intense insomnia starting when i moved to nyc 9 years ago. it goes it waves. sometimes i go through bouts of going to sleep at 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 in the morning. such has been the case for me for most of the quarantine.
in passing on social media, i’ve read about others experiencing major insomnia and essentially a nocturnal schedule. i want to say that i came across a pull quote or headline where a specialist was talking about how the insomnia is due to our subconscious stress or something of the like. makes sense to me. i’m sure life routine and structure being blown up also has something to do with it.
someone dm’ed me the other day saying they didn’t know why but felt like they had to tell me their insomnia story. intuition on point! there also appeared to be a bit of self-judgment in this admission. so i want to offer this post for two reasons: 1) to tell you there is no shame in your biological responses to a unique global crisis that no one currently alive has ever experienced, and 2) to share possible solves for insomnia and more restful sleep.
i share these remedies with you in full admission that i have not found the will or discipline within me to exercise them most of the time. when i try them, they sometimes work, they sometimes don’t— some work better than others for me. i haven’t tried them all. in such a case, different strokes for different folks— one size does not fit all.
this is info that i have amassed from various reading, listening to talks/podcasts, plus my own experience and intuition. hope to learn more in time. arianna huffington is a sleep hygiene evangelist as is her thrive global platform— she’s served as a source for some important bits below. in the interest of space and time, i am not going to offer a ton of detail or really explain why and how all these things work— you can research that on your own if you want.
here we go, in no particular order. the first two are the most annoying but also very powerful. please do comment with your own insomnia + sleep tips and wisdom <3
make yourself get into bed— without your electronics— even if you aren’t tired
try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day
no electronics 30-120 min before bed (ideally at least 60 min)
do a wind-down activity— something relaxing and analog 30-120 min before bed; can even do certain things while already in bed (meditation, reading, qigong, journaling, doodling/drawing)
if you opt for reading before bed, ideally choose something that’s an easy read and less cerebral
take a hot bath 15-60 min before bed (you can also add a little tiny bit of a relaxing essential oil like lavender)
drink hot tea 15-60 min before bed, especially a relaxing/calming tea like chamomile or kava
take some cbd oil 15-30 min before bed
take a melatonin supplement at the recommended time before bed
diffuse a relaxing essential oil like lavender 30-120 min before bed and during sleep
listen to binaural beats or isochronic tones with low theta or any delta frequencies 15-30 minutes before bed (can combine this with a wind-down activity if it feels right for you)
play white noise sounds once you get into bed (perhaps even 15 minutes before you intend to sleep; while doing your wind-down activities or listening to the white noise as a wind-down activity itself)
change into sleeping clothes that are only for sleep and nothing else
create a bedtime routine or ritual
keep your phone out of your bedroom and use an analog alarm clock
don’t spend the day in bed, work/live in another room during the day
workout (day or night, depending on whether working out energizes you or tires you out)
when you do wake up, especially when you wake up earlier, try to stand outside for 10-20 minutes to get sun— this can help reset your circadian rhythms
big love. wishing for us all to find our peace and sweet, nourishing sleep. <3